What is Beauty?

Ive not read this whole thread, so must apologize if something I'm going to say has already been said. And I don't pretend to be a deeply intellectual person, so I can't offer many "ridiculously" deep observations or definitions. But I think beauty is simply that which causes positive or semi positive emotion. Which is why it would be different for everyone, because everyone has different things that causes that. Consider two friends on a journey, and they finally come to the top of a hill. As they take in the sights before them, considering of green meadows and surrounding trees, mountains in the horizon, etc...

One is inspired, he describes it as breath taking and awe-inspiring and is overcome with of positivity. It is beautiful, -or full of beauty.

The other sees the distance he still has to travel, at times which will be on unforgiving terrain with plenty of obstacles. He is overcome with anxiety. It is not beautiful.

I know it seems so fucking simple it's almost embarrassing to post but I've been pondering over the concept of relativity the past few days.

Relativity is such a powerful truth. Perhaps, it is the only one. (That's gonna cause a response! :grimacing: )

I mean it's a thing I ponder bc I don't really accept alot of things as 100% truth... simply because of relativity.

I know these things are not black and white. They are complicated and confusing simply because man does not consist of one mind alone. Not even a "pack mind" if you will.

We are diverse and perspectives differ so much that sometimes it is even hard to find a common ground on describing something such as beauty. Of course, we have what the media portrays of mankind and their "beauty" which is almost always superficial, and we have also what we see on calendars and the artist's easel what is considered earthly landscape beauties, and there are several more types of beauty. But all these things are relative to the one experiencing them. Even things that are not tangible or harder to define. Like a parents love, a child's awe and curiosity, the instinct of a baby sea turtle to go into the ocean. These things, if they bring about strong positive emotions, or like I said semi positive, (think bittersweet) are beautiful to you.

Or, you could just throw everything in the trash that I have just said because it makes no sense to you. It is not a truth. It's my perspective.

Just like the people that say passionate love is just a chemical imbalance that eventually balances out to a more committed love. That is their truth because they have done the studies and seen the results and picked out those neurotransmitters that cause the emotions.

But others still will argue and say you cannot define such a powerful thing with science. And that is their truth.

So yeah, everything is relative, and that's why it is so hard to come to a satisfying "answer" as to what beauty is.

Sorry I took it ina direction you may not have wanted it to go, @Ren. Lol

Some could roll their eyes at my simplicity or even have pity that I cannot comprehend such intellectual talk, (sometimes I can though and I am improving!)but I think in a topic such as this, there will never be a universal answer. So I think my simple "answer" counts too. <3

 
Sorry I took it ina direction you may not have wanted it to go, @Ren. Lol

The direction of the thread is decided by the people who contribute. I may only guide a little bit on occasion :)

Looking forward to reading your thoughts!
 
I miss the insight of this thread. A topic so pure and relevant....a topic with meaning to us all.

What are your own thoughts on the topic, @OK007?
 
Most everyone has heard the story of Bathsheba.

"Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold."

I think most people that read this story understand what beauty was being spoken of. While we each see different things we call beauty, we still understand what most others are talking about when referring to it. I see beauty in a semi-cloudy sunrise or sunset. Most people understand this. I'm tired and think sleep will be beautiful tonight.
 
What are your own thoughts on the topic, @OK007?

The question that was asked was "What Is Beauty" which is a beautiful question to begin with. It is moving to see so many great insights into beauty and how fluid its interpretation is. Beauty is fluid awareness of change and I believe is a reflection of the individual which is to be respected, admired and absorbed. Maybe contemplation takes place or awkwardness in understanding but that is healthy too. As a kid my favorite color was blue and my friend insisted green was more deep and vivid. That always stuck with me and I have since become aware that it too is majestic.
 
Beauty is fluid awareness of change

Interesting idea. Is there any way you could tell us a bit more about it?

An example would be useful.
 
The beauty of it justice. For me, Yes.

I'm not sure I understand you. Do you mean that there is a link between beauty and justice?
 
OK Batman

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Interesting idea. Is there any way you could tell us a bit more about it?

An example would be useful.

Beauty seems to be fluid awareness of change. This thread is a tribute to that and filled with amazing descriptions that I am now aware of. My thought is that trying to define it actually puts limits to its intensity. It truly needs to be in the realm of undefinable and infinite in its scope and reach. It is an avenue of forward thinking and movement for us all in our own way. It promotes creativity and thought, acceptance and awe in what we can't put words to. I do believe it nourishes the thought of openness and being.

It does not lend itself to a static mindset and really necessitates the need for awareness, which too should not turn static into a firm belief. To brainstorm a few examples in my interpretation of fluid awareness of change;

Change in Tone: A stern voice transformed into a soft whisper...a guitar solo in the middle of your favorite song...the laughter of a child after a cry....infinite to our being and unique to us.

Change in Sight: A wound healing...a cloudy morning turned into a sunny day...the team handshake after a competitive sporting event...infinite to our being and unique to us.

Fluid awareness of change is a common trigger inside us that stimulates the feeling of being alive and privileged to have that moment that makes us reflect on deeper meaning to us. The roots of this awareness are deep inside us and have many origins that are intrinsic to our uniqueness and experiences in our travels. The magic is that we all share and bring our awareness to others. The intent is a positive one. It actually produces an idea without anybody ever having thought of it as we receive it internally with only our own dialogue as its meaning is unique to us.

Of course there is the flip side of the coin that is truly needed and a catalyst to further be aware of this unique Beauty. The outlook of blandness and the cold hard defiance of progress and forward thought always fractures into Beauty and always will. The Great Wall of China had an intent of security and defense and at the time was needed, but everything is fluid and not permanent and an awareness of this turned a reflection of necessity into a wonder of the world.
 
Beauty is the state of a thing or a process that engages our sense faculties that brings realization to the values of our instinctual wants and drives by exciting emotional realties in us humans that leaves our minds pregnant with inspiration, motivation, and ideation.
WOOW! That's a wonderful expression there. I couldn't have thought of anything else but say that Beauty is subjective.
 
Beauty is the subjective valuation and shift in conscious awareness concurrent with the witness and experience of a given considered “other.”

Cheers,
Ian
 
I think beauty is everything that reminds us of nature; the symmetrical and bright things, the clearance of lines, and simplicity.
We were 'programmed' to love nature, and I suppose we love everything which resembles it. I only can't understand why don't we do the same things to people. Why do so many assume overweight people are ugly or those who have different and unusual facial features? I try to look natural, but sometimes I visit a spa for some beauty procedures; I only do it because I love the process and the way I look. I don't care about others' opinions
 
We were 'programmed' to love nature, and I suppose we love everything which resembles it. I only can't understand why don't we do the same things to people. Why do so many assume overweight people are ugly or those who have different and unusual facial features? I try to look natural, but sometimes I visit a spa for some beauty procedures; I only do it because I love the process and the way I look. I don't care about others' opinions

We don't like cancer, sickness, death, rape, incest and so on, things that are fairly natural from an evolutionary vantage point, if you're looking at other species of animals and human history, so we like certain things that are natural and other things we don't. We assume overweight people are ugly because fitness correlates to fertility markers like health and strength, human beings are only recently creatures that don't perform hunter gatherer and agricultural duties for the sake of the majority, so our brains still evaluate one another to varying degrees on these dimensions when it comes to markers of physical beauty and attitude, because nature in comparison to human egalitarian emotions is cruel and harsh selective pressures would wipe out members of our groups or attract predation that would prove problematic for the whole thus our ancestors developed emotions to shun and reject those who don't display let's say adequate enough fitness markers to survive in a hunter gatherer/ agricultural landscape, so though it seems intuitively true we love what's natural we are selective and sometimes we love what's natural other times we might hate it. Like it's natural for people to commit genocide, murder, and lie if you're looking at human history, but we in contemporary times consider these acts wrong and or immoral. Don't assume that any definition we come up with about something like beauty is going to be universal, exhaustive, or comprehensive. We should just more so sample and enjoy them as different perspectives.
 
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